No More Learning

14, 1 John v. 7.
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? LETTER XL?
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heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And
on the seventh day God ended his. work which he had made; and he
rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And
God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he
had rested from all his work which God created and made. " (Gen. i.
26--31; ii. 1--3. )
I have quoted at large the order of the Creation of the sixth day;
and the institution of the primeval or first sabbath--the rest of God,
(Heb. iv. ;) and as I attentively perused the verses in copying them, one
thing forcibly struck me--the absence of death. Now, indeed, death
reigns on every side, as we have abundantly seen in the fish of the
deep and fowl of the air; but then all animated being subsisted on
the herb of the field. All was sinless--all was deathless: for had there
been no sin, there could have been no death; because death is the
effect of sin. There was no beast or bird of prey in Eden--the
leopard and the lamb lay down together, and the lion ate straw like
the ox; and nothing did hurt or destroy in all God's vast creation.
And in " the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken
of by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began,"
(Acts iii. 21,) this shall again be the case, as is beautifully brought
before us in the 11th of Isaiah. But of this I will write more at large
in my next letter: but we will now consider the threefold character
of this day's Creation,--1st, the Quadrupeds; 2nd, the Serpents; 3rd,
the Insect family;--and having looked at these three separately in
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THE CREATION.
their various species, then we will meditate on a subject (altogether
distinct from what has gone before) on Man made in the image of God;
His appointed Vicegerent, or Governor, to rule over all the earth,
and to have dominion over all that liveth. (Gen. i. 26. )
The benefits of the sixth day's Creation to man, no language can
describe. On the third and fifth day, we saw, indeed, much of God's
goodness in providing us food and raiment; but now, combined also with
these two, we see the strongest, the fleetest, and the most patient animals
--all called by man into obedient servitude:--the elephant comes to
us, with his giant strength; the horse lends to us his swiftness ; the
ox his patient endurance; the camel and the dromedary their ceaseless
service; the rein-deer, as the Laplander would tell you, brings every
thing to him,--it draws his sledge, and supplies him with food and
raiment, and other things beside; and even the ass, though so ill
treated and abused, aids man in no ordinary degree. Other orders of
animals have become so domesticated with us, that their wild character
is entirely gone: thus the cow, though she mourns for a time over the
loss of her offspring, yet soon forgets it, and comes to be milked by
man, as if it was her very nature; and then the innumerable flocks of
sheep yield to us in the month of May their fleecy wool,--the gift
twice blest, both in the giver and receiver: for, as the summer ad-
vances, the coat so warm to them in the winter, would keep them in
perpetual misery; therefore the shearing time to them is positive
blessing; and the simple article of wool thus obtained, is of untold
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? LETTER XI.
25! )
benefit to us. Indeed, so valuable did our forefathers think this gift,
that they made the seat of the Lord Chancellor, who always, by office,
presides in the House of Lords, (the highest legislative body of the
state) the woolsack. When we consider the sheep, in its separate
family, I will enumerate some of the many articles we derive from it.
Among other benefits derived from quadrupeds, the services of the
dog must not be forgotten. *--He guards our houses for us, and is a
pattern of faithful attachment, from the great St. Bernard breed,
which seem to have an instinctive pity for man in his sorrow, to the
* Whilst on the subject of the benefit of the animal creation to man, I would
most affectionately warn all parents against a most cruel custom, called " Vive-
section," which prevails in the French Schools of Anatomy, and now, alas! is
creeping into England. The meaning of the word " Vivesection," is literally " to
divide or cut up the living. " Yes ; living animal*, made by God, and capable, as we
have seen, of affection that oftentimes might put man to shame, are forcibly held
or fastened down, and are cut up alive! No language can sufficiently expose or
reprobate so wicked a practice. Man is accountable to God for the life he takes.
True, indeed, the Lord has for the present given it to him for food; but not for
torture: and at the day of account, their erg will not be forgotten in His ears, who
in his tender mercies over Nineveh, could remember the lives of the cattle, as well
as of those who could not discern between their right hand and left. (Jonah
iv. 2,11. ) Some of the highest and most learned of the medical profession of this
country, and among them the late Sir Charles Bell, have written most pungently
against this barbarous vice: and let every one that pities the poor dumb animal,
who can only tell his tale in shrieks of anguish, " let him open his mouth for the
dumb;" and the cruel custom of " Viveiection," without legal enactment, shall be
driven from our land. Let not any Christian parent or guardian, even for a day,
suffer his children to attend schools, where God the Creator is so dishonoured, in
the torture of the animal he has created. If a more enlarged knowledge of Phy-
siology cannot be obtained without this price being paid, the sum is too much,--we
may not do evil, that good may come. See Appendix.
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THE CREATION.
pretty little faithful spaniel, which Cowper so sweetly tells of. When
we come to this family apart, I will copy his verses for you. And
even that most useful and valuable animal, the cat, must not be for-
gotten : for though not esteemed, either as being so faithful or grateful
as the dog; yet instances are not wanting of their attachment to man,
proving that they have feelings which all do not give them credit for.
The second class of animals of this dfiy's Creation, i. e. the Serpent
family, are doubtless of use to man, though we know but little of
them.
But the third class, or Insect tribes, though apparently so insigni-
ficant, yet have families among them of the utmost benefit to us, for
raiment, food, and medicine; and I suppose, if you could at this
moment gather all the yards of silk together that are in the whole
world, it would be millions on millions; and yet it was a little worm,
not larger than our common caterpillar, that, from its own bowels,
spun it all. So also the quantity of honey, perhaps, could not be cal-
culated: and yet it was the industrious Bee, that, from numberless
flowers, sipped the nectar, and then concocted that delicious amalgam,
called honey; and having prepared beautiful little houses, built after
a most geometrical order, of the wax they had also produced in their
bodies, they deposited their treasure
" Till the rich hive was laden with the spoil,
Of all the flowers that deck sweet nature's soil. "
And last of all, though not the least, how many valuable lives have
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been spared, simply by the application of the Cantharis, or Spanish Fly,
that sports in the sun-beam in Italy by millions, and medically forms
the blister so valuable in the hands of skilful men: and even the little
cochineal insect may not be forgotten, supplying us at the same time
with a valuable medicine * and beautiful dye.
Thus the sixth day's Creation comes to man in boundless variety,
laden with blessing: and what the Christian is called to is this, to
receive all with gratitude and thankfulness--to use the world and not
abuse it: and whether he has little or much, as a faithful steward, to
dispense it with kindness; and to be merciful, even as his Father in
heaven is merciful. (Luke vi. 35, 36. )
Having thus, however briefly, looked at the animal creation of this
day, as adapted to the wants of man, we will now consider each of the
three before mentioned classes separately; and, first,
THE QUADRUPEDS.
This diversified family take their name from the number of their
feet: and though one species alone goes erect, like man; yet, with
this exception, it is descriptive of the whole order, who, with their
? See an interesting article in the Medical Gazette, January, 1844, showing the
value of cochineal as a specific for hooping-cough.
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THE CREATION.
body parallel with the earth, thus run or walk. Quadrupeds rank
above the other parts of the animal creation in three particulars:--
They are viviparous; respire by means of lungs; and have red blood:
and, in addition to this, almost in all cases, they are covered with hair.
As in Fishes and Birds, so in the Quadrupeds, their form, covering, &c. ,
are all most minutely adapted to the country they live in, and the food
they subsist on;--the mouth is so situated, that with a slight incli-
nation of the neck, they reach their food. The beasts of prey devour
their food at once ; but the ruminating animals, as the Cow, &c. , take
in a good stock, and put it in keeping, like the Pelican ; and then lie
down, and bring out at leisure their supply--and chew their cud.
Linnaeus has arranged this great family into six orders, under the
general name of Mammalia, distinguished principally by the number,
situation, and structure of their teeth. He has also added a seventh,
comprising the Whale family, but this last we considered on the fifth
day. These six orders he has divided into forty-four genera, and
subdivided into upwards of eight hundred species. The names of the
respective orders are all taken from the Latin, and are strikingly
significant of their character. I subjoin them, with the English
names opposite:--
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? LETTER XI.
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MAMMALIA. *
LATIN NAME.
Primates
Brutse
Ferse
Glires
Pecora
Belluae
ENGLISH NAME.
The First
The Brute
The Wild Beast
The Dormouse. .
The Cattle
Great Beasts . . .
PROPERTIES.
Princ. Gramin.
All Graminiv.
All Carnivor.
Princ. Graniv.
Granivorous .
Granivorous .
4
8
10
10
B
3
Many.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Few.
PRIMATES.
THREE GENERA. --MANY SPECIES.
This Order, according to Linnaeus's arrangement, has four genera;
Man the first: but as the first of Genesis is our guide, Man will be
spoken of as altogether distinct from the irrational part of the animal
creation.
This Order comprises, the Ape, the Lemur, and the Bat.
The Ourang is a native of the Molucca Islands, Borneo, Madagas-
car, Africa, and India. Hunting them is the cruel but favourite
amusement in some of these countries.
In stature this animal reaches at times six feet; but, perhaps, com-
paring the accounts of travellers, his stature varies as ours does. The
visage of the Ourang is very like the human face, only the eyes are
sunk very deep in the head, and the whole body is covered lightly
From Mamma, a breast; including all animals that suckle their young.
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THE CREATION.
with hair. He is fond of society, and possesses so little fear, that
when the natives have a fire in the woods, if the weather is wet or
cold, he will, during their absence, come and warm himself at it.
Various are the tales related of him; some of which are well
authenticated. Buffon, the great naturalist, says he was acquainted
with one of this family, who would sit at table; and whatever he saw
others do, he would imitate,--he would pour out his tea, put sugar
and milk in it, then let it cool, and drink it afterwards as we do. His
deportment was grave, tinctured with melancholy. Still, all he did
was imitative; and thus he soon reached his bounds of knowledge.
The Long-armed Ape. This animal is most expressively named;
for its arms, when it stands erect, or rather stooping, literally touch
the ground. It is much smaller than the Ourang, though, with the
exception of its long arms, it is much like it.
The Pigmy Ape. This curious little animal is not larger than a
cat: it is found in numbers in Ethiopia. They are fond of eggs;
and hence the legendary tales of " the Pigmies," who were represented
as a nation, residing near the fountains of the Nile, annually levying
war against the cranes, to steal their eggs.
The Barbary Ape. This singular creature seems to link the Ape
with the Baboon. It has something like a tail, and a face more like
the quadruped family at large. It is more vicious and mischievous
than any of the Ape family. They generally go in numbers; and will
come and rob the traveller of his eatables, if they meet him alone.
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? LETTER XI. 265
They are about three feet in stature; and are found in Arabia, India,
and Africa.
Baboons. --The Large Baboon.
* This is a mischievous looking
animal, very strong, and can go erect, though it usually goes on all-
fours. It lives on fruits and herbs, and rejects all kinds of flesh; but
when caught, and detained a prisoner, it will drink immoderately of
wine and brandy; but this, alas! is of man's teaching; and it is a
species of refined cruelty, to make the animals partakers, if not of the
sin, yet of the sufferings of drunkenness.
This animal sometimes grows to the height of five feet; and is very
savage and ill looking. Its face approaches that of the hog, it is so
truncated; and some parts of it very red.
The Pig-tail Baboon. As the Barbary ape links the ape family
with the baboon, so does this animal link the baboon family with the
monkey. It has a curled tail, six inches long. It is found in Sumatra
and Japan; and is about the size of a cat.
Monkeys. This family is very extensive and varied; and there
are few people of England unacquainted with them. They abound in
? A Cape Baboon having taken off some clothes from the barracks, Lieut. Shipp
formed a party to recover them:--" With twenty men," he says, " I made a circuit
to cut them off from their caverns; they observed my movements, and detached
about fifty to guard the entrance; the others kept their post. We could see them
collecting large stones; and one old grey-headed one was seen distributing his
orders as General. We rushed on to the attack, when, on a scream from him,
they rolled down enormous stones upon us, so that we were forced to give up the
contest. "--Shipp's Mem. vol. i. p. 36.
N
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THE CREATION.
the warm latitudes; and are full of all kinds of mischief. They are
hunted for amusement; but, my beloved children, I have before
mentioned, that a Christian cannot find pleasure in any thing that
gives even a worm pain,--he delights in mercy; and it is his happi-
ness to make all around him happy.
It is a curious fact, that almost all the monkey family, and this
species among them, employ watchmen. " At the time of the gather-
ing of the sugar cane, a whole herd enters the ground, leaving
a guard at the entrance; who, when he sees an enemy approach,
screams aloud; on which his companions instantly gather up all
the booty they can, and run off on their three legs. "--Bingley,
vol. i. p. 71.
The Chinese Monkey. This is one of the greatest robbers of this
family; and so fearless, that he will often watch till the person who
may have driven him away has gone home; when he will return
again. This animal has a long nose of a whitish colour; the body
is a pale brown.
The Negro Monkey. This creature is about the size of a cat, and
very good tempered. The face is red ; the back and tail black.
The Green Monkey. This is a most beautiful species. Its body is
silvery white; its back a soft downy green. It is found in St. Jago,
Africa, and the East Indies.
The Hare-lipped Monkey. The nostrils of this species are divided as
those of the hare. The body is of a clumsy form. It inhabits.
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? LETTER XI.
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Guinea and Angola. It always carries its tail as an arch. The size
is about that of a small spaniel.
Fair Monkey. The head and ears of this beautiful little creature
are a lively red; the hair white; the tail black. It is little more than
half a foot long; though its tail is nearly double that length. It is
among the most beautiful of this family.
Lemurs. This genus unites the previous branches with the great
family of the quadruped; having its fore feet very much like the
monkey's.
The Ring-tail Macauco. This little creature is about the size of a
cat; with beautifully formed limbs. The tail is twice the length of
the body, and is elegantly marked. The body is covered with a
beautiful soft glossy hair, of reddish colour. This animal is very
easily tamed; and has none of the mischievous propensities of the
monkey. It is a native of Madagascar.
The Ruffled Macauco. This animal is much larger than the Ring-
tailed, and altogether of different habits. Its voice is like that of a
lion; and its ruff, which is of considerable size, round its neck, makes
it look very formidable. However, it is easily domesticated; and then
becomes gentle.
Tailless Macauco. This creature is unlike any of this whole order;
being more like the sloth in its habits. It is found in the woods of
Bengal and Ceylon. It creeps along the ground, and utters a plaintive
n2
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THE CREATION.
noise. Its food is principally fruit and eggs, and small birds, if it can
surprise them.
Bats. This genus seems to be the link in the great chain between
birds and quadrupeds; but though bats fly, their general character-
istics come nearer to those of the latter. Linnaeus placed them in the
order Primates, because he thought they in some things approximated
to the great human family.
The Common Bat. This species is familiar to all, and on a fine
summer's evening it flits by us in our walks. It dozes away a great
part of its existence, never coming abroad in the day; and when winter
arrives, it finds a snug sequestered cavern, hooks its claws to some
substance of a firm character, and sleeps on for months and months,
unmindful of storms or tempests.
The bat is about the size of a mouse; the four exterior toes of the
fore feet are enormously long, and connected by a thin membrane,
which also reaches the hind legs, and from thence to the tail,--this
forms its wings for flight. The bat brings forth its young as the
mouse, and suckles them.
In England they are amusing to see, but not so in Guinea and
Madagascar. They are there of a larger family, and great enemies to
the farmer.
The Great Bat of Madagascar. The expansion of the wings of this
night monster is near four feet. They assemble in such numbers as to
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? LETTER XL 269
darken the air, and come forth by day as well as night, and devour
anything and everything they can find. The ancients, it is said,
borrowed their ideas of harpies from these animals. At night they
make a dreadful noise in the forests.
It is said that this species has a great fondness for human blood.
Vampyre or Spectre Bat. This animal is less than the Madagascar
one. It is an inhabitant of South America, and lodges in the palm-
trees ; and if the testimony of some travellers be correct, it comes
forth at evening, and sucks the blood of whatever it finds asleep. It
is said that it lights softly on its victim, makes a minute orifice with
its teeth, and sucks the blood till it is satiated. All this while, it
gently agitates the air with its wings, which lulls its prey into a more
profound sleep. *
How little, my dear children, do we value our numberless privi-
leges. Here we have no lions, nor tigers, nor wolves, openly to prey
on us; and no vampyre at night to injure us.
SECOND ORDER --BRUTiE.
EIGHT GENERA-MANY SPECIES.
Some of the animals of this order are armed with strong hoofs, and
masticate their food; others have claws, and a few are toothless. The
principal are, the Elephant, the Rhinoceros, the Sloth, the Ant-eater,
the Manis, and Armadillo. Most of this family feed on vegetables.
? For facts confirmatory of this, see Bingley, vol. i. p. 107,
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THE CREATION.
The Elephant. This is the largest, the noblest, and the most
sagacious of all the quadruped family. Many of the most learned
men think that it is the "Behemoth"* of Job xl. 15. The word
" Behemoth," as a generic term, means cattle, and occurs in Gen.
i. 25, with singular force, distinguishing, as it is supposed, those animals
which feed on vegetables from those fierce beasts which live on prey.
If this passage, then, describes the Elephant, we have its natural history
unerringly brought before us, under these six particulars:--1st. his
means of support; 2nd. his strength ;f 3rd. his excellency; 4th. his
gentleness; 5th. his place of rest; 6th. his enormous draught of water.
Just read over attentively those passages; and if Cruden's Concordance
? Some have thought, and among them Bockhart, that the Hippopotamus is
the animal meant: but there is one passage, (Job xi. 20,) " Surely the mountains
bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field do play," which I think
strongly leans to the contrary view; for though the Hippopotamus walks in the
valley adjacent to the river, yet I am not aware it is ever said that he is found in
the MOUNTAINS.
t The domestic Elephant performs more work than perhaps six horses, but he
requires from his master much care. He is fed with an abundance of vegetables,
and takes of water, for his daily consumption, forty-five gallons. To give an idea
of the labour which he performs: he is the carrier of all the bales, sacks, &c. from
one part of India to another. When loading boats, he takes up the bales, &c. in
his trunk, and puts them in with exceeding nicety, and then tries if they are firmly
stowed. Sometimes they are left, with a promise of fruit, &c. , for some particular
work; and when their Indian returns, he finds it done : but they cannot bear false-
hoods; and if a promise has been made, and the word broken, instances have been
known of their killing the deceiver, and, as if their character could be heightened,
when this has occurred, and the paroxysm of rage past, they have died of sorrow
for the act. Well, then, for excellency, does the Elephant claim to be the Behe-
moth of Job xl. 19.
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? LETTER XI.
271
is by you, read also his remarks on each verse, as they are very
descriptive.
The stature of this noble animal is sometimes near twelve feet,
though ordinarily about eight or nine. Its food is entirely the herb of
the field. The strength of the Elephant is such, that he will carry a
light wooden castle full of armed men upon his expansive back.
There is a striking description in the First Book of Maccabees,
vi. 34--39, of those in the army of the wicked Antiochus, king of Syria,
which carried in a tower thirty-two armed men. The tower was
strongly built of solid wood, and fastened by devices round the belly.
It is also said, that a thousand armed men in mail, and five hundred
horsemen, always followed each elephant. Its gentleness is not only
exhibited in its tame state, but also when wild; for it is seen at times
in the midst of other beasts, that lay about it without fear. "Its place
of rest," says an ancient historian, " is by the waters, and moist places
so that it may be said to lie among the marshes; and its great draughts
is a fact known to all; for by means of his trunk he will take up an
enormous quantity of water. Still, with all its strength, according to
Gen. ix. 2, it is subdued by man; and becomes even more docile than
the horse. When these animals are only taken for the sake of their
tusks, which are ivory, then the method of procuring them is by the
gun; but when to bring them into servitude, the snare is used ; but the
former is very dangerous. I have listened to our valued friend, Capt.
G. 's escape from one, until I profusely perspired at the mere recital.
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